Tiny shoulder robot provides physical body for virtual friend

Researchers at Yamagata University are developing a miniature, wearable humanoid robot that sits on
your shoulder to keep you company.

The small MH-2 bot can perch on your shoulder like a parrot and
then remotely inhabited by your friends through telepresence from
anywhere in the world. The robot has two arms, a head and a body as
well as a mechanism for realistic breathing. The idea is that you
can share a journey or an experience with a friend who is unable to
be in the same geographical location as you.

All your friend needs to do is plonk themselves into some sort
of motion capture environment, for example, in front of a Kinect. They then get to see what you see on their screen (a
360-degree 3D display is recommended). The MH-2 then acts like your
friend is acting in their living room, replicating their speech and
gestures so that you feel as though your friend is there -- just in
creepy miniature form.